Estonia’s young heroes leading the just transition charge

The assembly has provided 40 young people from Ida-Virumaa with a unique opportunity to influence one of the biggest societal changes in Estonia in recent decades. This has allowed youth representatives to evaluate the region’s Territorial Just Transition Plan and propose changes to ensure youth gets a fair deal.

Out of that assembly emerged PWP Liit , a non-profit youth organisation determined to bridge the development gap between their region and Estonia’s more advanced counties. Thanks to contacts built up through their participation in the assembly, PWP Liit seized a golden opportunity to take action – the  EUTeens4Green project, a one-of-a-kind regranting initiative launched by the European Commission aimed at supporting youth-led projects in the regions. Although slightly daunted by the prospect of receiving the seemingly large sum of EUR 10 000 if selected, they took the plunge and decided to apply.

Environmental initiative in action

Even though things were slow to get going as they weren’t exactly sure initially what they wanted to focus on, PWP Liit started brainstorming. After toying with some great ideas, like creating an educational board game and establishing a language cafe with a twist, which would see them sharing knowledge and experiences with a focus on climate, they finally settled on developing an online course to educate their peers and the next generation of students. And so began the ‘Environment Hero Course’.

They set about developing a course curriculum that would blend information about climate change and the green transition to encourage youth engagement in sustainable solutions. To get an idea of what secondary school and university students might expect from the course, they conducted a survey along with an associated campaign. Researchers from the University of Tartu and other local experts not only helped them review the feedback they received, but also to prepare the course for launch on the Moodle learning platform.

With the help of their partners, members of PWP Liit have managed to establish a community, learning how to leverage their individual strengths, leaning into their unique talents, and working as a team – assets that will stand them in good stead on their project journey.

Arguably their biggest challenge has been to set up a curriculum from scratch, a task made all the more arduous given their complete lack of experience in the field. They have to navigate an abundance of information, determine what’s true and false, select the right amount of information to include in the course, and source contacts to help them on their way. Quite a handful for a group of young people trying to juggle school at the same time! They’ve also had the added inconvenience of trying to schedule project coordinator meetings during classes, a reality that’s not often considered when working with students.

Complicating matters further, the group now has to contend with the Estonian government’s new directive requiring all state schools to switch to teaching exclusively in Estonian. This represents a logistical headache for the numerous Russian-speaking schools in the region. In stark contrast with the rest of Estonia, Ida-Virumaa exhibits the lowest concentration of Estonian speakers at just 14.5 per cent. The course was originally intended to be carried out in both languages, but the final version had to be restricted to Estonian.

Today, the EUTeens4Green project has ended and PWP Liit’s course is undergoing beta testing. Looking to the future, the organisation is currently developing a comparable course tailored for older teachers, with the average 65-year-old typically out of touch with advancements in science and the green revolution. After all, how can teachers teach students if they don’t have access to current information? With materials for the teachers’ course more or less ready, their next step is to attract further financial and capacity support.

Support from the Just Transition Fund

Building on the financial support from the European Commission initiative, the Just Transition Fund is also giving young people a chance to participate in the transition process. For instance, one Just Transition Fund measure in particular is being implemented to support local communities through citizens’ initiatives. Activities are aimed at promoting environmental awareness and supporting local youth-led initiatives to develop their skills.

The number of projects that have already received funding demonstrates the willingness and active participation of civil society in Ida-Virumaa. So far, 30 small projects have been funded, including public events, workshops, lectures, excursions and youth camps, all with the goal of raising awareness about the just transition and opening the floor to discussions around local identity.

These projects are important for improving cohesion and a sense of community within a region going through a drastic transition. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that funding opportunities like these aren’t just a flash in the pan. Ida-Virumaa is one of a kind in Estonia, with the region facing unique challenges compared to the rest of the country. The region’s longstanding heavy reliance on the oil shale industry, language duality, and an ageing population make it a particularly hard environment for young people to realise their ambitions in life. Thankfully, however, there are signs of welcome change.

Fresh attitudes bring hope

A 2021 survey conducted by Rohetiiger, a cross-sectoral collaboration platform, revealed that the just transition concept was still largely unfamiliar to their young respondents. Generally, these topics weren’t discussed at home or in school. While some of them agreed that change is necessary and they had seen some developments here and there, the concept of the process remained vague and confusing. Interestingly, the young people interviewed didn’t see the just transition in the context of an environmental or climate-related perspective, but rather a social one, worrying primarily about the livelihoods of local people and themselves.

However, according to a more recent commissioned by the Ministry of Finance in early 2024, 72 per cent of young people aged 18 to 24 living in Ida-Virumaa see the current changes related to the just transition as positive. They also view the impact of the just transition on the region and the economy as very or rather positive. In contrast, only 26 per cent of people in the 35-44 age group perceive the impact as positive. These numbers reflect the changing mindset of young people in the region and the rise of a more optimistic and proactive movement. And with it, the belief that the future of Ida-Virumaa is in good hands.